Locking device for roll-off van bodies



June 13, 1944. R. ARIO I LOCKING DEVICE FOR ROLLLOFF VAN BODIES Filed May 20, 1945 l I I l t 0 I I l I v I ull IE ll INVENT Patented June 13, 1944 2,351,314 7 I LOCKING DEVICE FOR ROLL-OFF VAN BODIES Rudolf Ario, deceased, late of Brooklyn, N. Y., byStephania Ario, executrix, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 20, 1943, serial No. 4871126 3Claims. '("o1.29 -'-35) This invention relates to storage vans or similar structures in which a van body is mounted on a vehicle chassis in such a manner as topermit the van body to be rolled from the chassis as a unit and placed in a storage warehouse to thereafter act as a storage room for the contents originally placed in it while it was on the vehicle chassis.

More particularly, the invention relates to an improved locking means by which the van body is secured in place on the chassis and prevented from shifting movement thereon, especially while the vehicle is in transit. The primary object of the invention is to provide a locking device by means of which the attachment of the van body to the chassis is rendered firm and secure, yet by which the van body may be quickly freed when desired, to permit the same to be rolled from the chassis with a minimum of eifort and delay.

The invention contemplates the provision of locking means at the rear of the vehicle in the form of a pivoted latch member mounted on the chassis and swingable to engage in an aperture in a beam located on the underside of the van body, together with means for holding said latch in place in the aperture, as well as means by which the latch may be speedily manually disengaged when desired.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view'through parts of the chassis frame and frame of the van body, showing one of the rear locks, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure of Fig. 1, with parts in section and other parts broken away to disclose construction.

In a structure of the character to which this invention relates, the van body is arranged to move on rollers on or off the chassis of the vehicle, various roller arrangements permitting such movement having been devised. In Fig. 4 of the drawing, one of the rails of the vehicle chassis is shown at I, the same holding a channel member 2, by means of the U-bolt 3, the channel member carrying a roller 4 rotative on the axle or hearing 5. A number of rollers, so mounted, are carried on the rails of the chassis of the vehicle, and said rollers support the van body, a portion of which is shown at 6, while it is on the chassis. The underside of the van body is provided with channel rails, one of which is shown at 1, which ride on the rollers 4.

To maintain the van body in place on the chassis, front and rear locking devices are usually provided, the present invention relating to a rear locking device.

Referring now to the rear lock, usually operative in conjunction with a-front lock, for holding the van body in place on the chassis, on the bottom of the vanbody; are several T-beams, one

of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and is indichassis, one of each of which is situated toward each side of the chassis at the rear thereof. Each rear locking devicejincludes a pivoted latch member 21, having a nose portion 28 adapted to enter into an aperture'in one of the T-beams 29 and be maintained therein, or in locked position, by means of a brace member or prop 30.

The Iatchmember 21 is eccentrically pivoted on -pivot pin 3| which extends between spaced angle irons 32 and'33, forming part of a frame on the chassis in which the locking device is mounted. Near its nose portion 28, the latch member 21- is pivotally attached at 34 to one end of the brace member 30, the opposite end of the brace member being provided with an angular "notch 35 adapted to seat against an angle rail '36 on the chassis and extending between the angleirons 32 and 33. I v

Pins 31 and 38-are provided for holding the device in locked position, the pin 31 being located adjacent to the free end of the brace member 30. Said pin 31 is manually placed in position and similarly removed, and it consists ed over the angle rail 36 of the chassis, Pin 31 is provided with an ofi-set end or handle portion 39, secured to one end of a chain 40, the opposite end of the chain being attached to rail 36. The chain prevents loss of the pin 31 when it is not in its engaged position.

Locking pin 38 is spring-pressed, and is slidable in a barrel 4i secured to the angle iron 32, said barrel containing a compression spring '42, operative between the stop 43 on the pin 38 and the fixed stop 44 within the barrel, to normally thrust the pin 38 into projected position wherein it extends through aligned holes in the angle irons 32 and 33 and through the latch member 21. An oif-set portion or handle 46 is provided on the pin 38 to enable the pin to be manually retracted against the pressure of the spring 42. A slot 41 in the barrel 4| permits manual retractive movement of the bolt or pin 38.

The rear locking device is shown in its locked pin 3'! extended through it and through the angle.

irons 32 and 33, is securely held in braced position to act as a prop and maintain' the latch 21' in engagement with the aperture 29. To unloclriv or lower the latch 21, the .pin 31 is .drawn out to permit the notched end' of thebracetllto-be raised and extended over the top of rail 36, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1; .Nextthe locking pin 38 is drawn outwardlyand latch 21. can then be swung downwardly as shown in dotted lines, and out of theaperture 29;, to assume-a lowered and disengaged position.

' While thelocking device, shown and described herein has been referred to, as a rear lock, it will be obvious that it need not necessarily belimited to such a position on the" chassis, but may be located wherever foundnecessary to securely hold the van :body in place on the chassis. .Therefore, in herein referring to 'the look as a rear look I wish to be understood as using this term merely for the gpurpose-of pointing out a preferred location for the lock rather than to indicate-a necessity for locating the lock at the position mentioned.

What is claimed is:

i. In a roll-off van :body mounting, a vehicle chassis a van body provided. with means by -which it may be rolled ed the chassis, the van body having anunder-beam, the-chassis having a frame provided with spacedmembers located belowithe beam, the'beam having an aperture, -a=swinging latch eccentrically pivoted between the spaced chassis-members and swingable up- Warclly to enter into the aperture, a brace hav-- ing one end pivoted to the latch and having a free other end, said'latter end being adapted for fitment over a chassispart to-cause the brace to act as a prop to thereby hold the latch in position of engagement with the aperture, a spring-pressed locking pin mounted on one of the spaced chassis-membersand entrant through the same and into the latch to ,hold the latch in position of engagement with the aperture, and a manually movable locking pin entrant through one of the spaced chassis mernbers and through the brace when said brace is in position to act as a prop for the latch.

2. In a roll-off van body mounting, a vehicle chassis, a van body provided with means by 5 which it is rolled off the chassis, the van body having an under-beam, the chassis having a frame provided with spaced members disposed transversely of the under-beam, the under-beam having an aperture, a swinging latch pivoted between the spaced members and swingable to engage with the aperture, said latch having a hooked end entering into said aperture, a brace having oneend pivoted to the latch adjacent to the hooked end thereof, said brace having a 15,.free otherend, the other end being notched for removable fitment over a chassis part to cause thebrace to act as a prop to thereby hold the flatchjnengagement with the aperture, a springpressed locking pin mounted on one of the chassis members, the latch being provided with an .open-ingthrough which said 'pin is extended when the latch-'is engaged with the aperture, and a .manually movable bolt for engaging the brace member to hold said brace member in position ,to act as a prop for the latch.

a In a roll-off van body mounting, a vehicle chassis, a van body provided'with means by which it is rolled off the chassis, the van body having a beam, the chassis having a frame including spaced members extending transversely to the mama latch member pivoted between said .spacedmembers and having a hooked nose remotefrom itspivot, a brace member consisting of abar pivoted at one end to the latch member and its other end free, the beam having an aperture intowhich the hooked nose of the latch member enters when the latch member is swung upwardly on its pivot, a spring-pressed locking pin engaging the'latch member when said latch 40 member is engagedwith the aperture and hold- ;ing' said-latch member in such engagement, a gsupport extending transversely to the spaced members andhaving a part bridging the" space between said members, the brace member havin ganotched free end for fitment over said part of thesupport to therebyhold said'brace member in position as arr-angular prop for the latch memher, and a manually operated lock-ing bolt slid- -able through the brace member adjacent to its 0 motched end and through the spaced members,

tohold the brace member in position as a prop -for-the latch member.

;' STEPHANIA ARIO, Erecu-trz'a: of the Estate of Rudolf Ario, Deceased. 

